


Milky Latte

by piyochan



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Gemini Syndrome, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-03-17 02:09:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13649235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piyochan/pseuds/piyochan
Summary: Cecil's local café hired a new barista, who just happens to be a very rude, but very interesting blonde. The next day, the same barista seems to be a totally different person; a happy-go-lucky, kind blonde! Are they twins? Are they playing a practical joke on him? Are they just a one-man show of double personality? Even if it takes him all the lattes in the world, Cecil will get to the bottom of this! And maybe he will gain more than just extra milk and whipped cream.A gift to my old roleplaying partner, after rediscovering our old list of AUs and feeling an immense sense of longing. Hi, Nikki, thanks for the memories.





	1. BROWN SUGAR

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xSweetKyandi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xSweetKyandi/gifts).



CHAPTER ONE: BROWN SUGAR  
  


The air was both fresh and thick with the scent of coffee. There was a warmth radiating from the machinery and the boiling sounds alluded to the soul. Cecil felt completely at peace within those four walls. His local café was a temple, because there he could almost see, smell, and taste the muse. It helped him forget the pressures of life, and come back down to earth for a while. That in turn, helped him write.

Cecil sat at the last table, putting his messenger bag on the table. He took his laptop out, a small, emerald-green with a purple sticker of some design unknown to the people there. The coffee shop was almost empty today; only a couple of friends on the opposite corner speaking animatedly, and a business man with a crooked tie almost falling asleep on his coffee. Cecil both wanted to giggle at him and help him. Instead, he walked the short distance to order.

Normally, there would be a nice young woman with bright orange hair and big, wide eyes ready to take his order, but this time, only a tall, blonde man was there. He was bent over a big brown box of roasted beans, piling them into smaller sacks. He hadn’t seen this man before. He wondered where the girl was.  
Cecil waited a bit, tapping his fingers on the wooden table, looking into the glass containers that covered pastries. He thought of maybe ordering a pineapple bun, but decided against it. Cecil peered over, and saw the man still there, unmoving and concentrated in his task. He would have to call him.

“Uh, excuse me?” Cecil tried, lifting his hand up.

The blonde man stood up, and suddenly the whole earth under Cecil started to shake. He was taller than Cecil had expected, and his light green eyes made him seem like a big cat about to pounce. Cecil felt tiny.

“I’m sorry, I- I didn’t, I just my- my coffee” Cecil’s words came out jumbled. He couldn’t even look up to meet his serious eyes.

“Yes?” said the blonde man in a rude tone. “If you want to order, just order. I don’t need your life story.”

Cecil was shocked. This new person wasn’t as nice as the old girl, Haruka. He was kind of rude, too! How come he got this job so easily?

“Are you new?” Cecil asked. “What- what happened to Haruka?”

“Fish eyes got married to some pop star and left. Will you order now?” the man asked, almost pleading. He sighed loudly, obviously annoyed.

“Uh, yes. Sorry. A latte with extra milk, please.” Cecil said, still processing new information. Maybe this man just had a lot of work, and since he was new, didn’t know Cecil was a regular. It would be even worse to tell this man he was a regular; Cecil didn’t need preferential treatment. But still, he missed Haruka and her warm smile, no matter how handsome this new barista was. And oh, was he handsome.

Cecil tried to pay, but the man had already left to make the order. He softly placed the exact amount, $2.56, next to the cash register.

Cecil watched shyly as the blonde’s strong hands operated the machines. He was rough around the edges, but he saw that the talent was there. When he presented his coffee to Cecil, it was exactly how he wanted. Milky and light, but aromatic, and with the beautiful white shape of a leaf on top.

Cecil took a sip, and just that one bit of the drink made him suddenly feel calm and at peace. “Thank you” he said, bearing a smile; a smile that the blonde man ignored. He moved on to packing coffee again, and Cecil to his table, feeling like the conversation had ended the wrong way.

Still, his latte was delicious, and he found himself entertained by watching the blonde mystery barista pail beans and take costumers with the same annoyed look on his face. He was rude, but there was just that certain charm that called Cecil to look.

That day, Cecil didn’t write. His laptop remained on and his document blank until late in the afternoon. Costumers had already left, and his cup was long gone, but he just remained seated, thinking.

Who was this man? Did he hate this job, or why was he so mad? Maybe he was like this naturally, and needed this job. Cecil shook his head. He was becoming obsessed with finding out about the new barista, but he had to be patient.

Cecil packed his things and hung his messenger bag around his torso. Before leaving, he approached the tip jar, which had remained empty all day, and dropped two dollars in. Cecil believed in being kind always, and while it wasn’t much, it was just a way of giving a small thank you. It didn’t matter how rude he had been to Cecil, he deserved it for his work. Everyone was battling something, and even though Cecil didn’t know what, he knew it was the truth.

Cecil left, letting the door’s bell ring out to announce his departure. Before walking away, he peered into the window, and saw the barista staring right at him. His green eyes seemed almost yellow in the darkened room, and stuck to Cecil’s own. Cecil froze. His whole being was hammered into the sidewalk and there was no moving. He felt an electric current speed up his heart, and all his hairs stood up. He felt embarrassed, but thoroughly interested. Cecil gathered all his strength to break that look and left hurriedly for home.

 

The next day, Cecil came into the café later than usual. He felt curious about the green-eyed ogre that had been his barista, but embarrassed to go there again. Maybe he knew Cecil was a bit obsessed, or he had seen him staring all day. After that electrifying look he had given Cecil when he left, going back there again felt like stalking. The blonde man’s eyes demanded something from Cecil, but he didn’t know what.

Still, Cecil went in with his eyes staring straight to his normal table. He pulled out his laptop, turned it on, out his bag down and sat down. A few minutes went by before he decided he could wait no more to look up, but he didn’t. Not until he heard a cheery voice coming from the bar.

“Hi! How can I help you, cutie?” the blonde barista asked with a million-bolt smile. A red-faced, brunette girl almost whispered her order; a caramel frappé with whipped cream. The barista took the payment and jumped right into making her drink. He sang a happy tune and moved his finger along as if directing the song with his free hand. He moved his head side to side, almost dancing to his own beat, all while keeping a wide smile.

“Almost done!” he called, serving the drink a second later to the girl. He moved in closer to her, and whispered something while wearing that same bright smile. The girl turned beet red and covered her mouth.

“Tha- thank you.” The girl said, pushing $5 into the tip jar and tumbling back to her friend’s table. Her friends spoke like wild fangirls, asking her to tell what the barista had whispered to her.

“He said… he put extra whipping cream because I seemed just as sweet.” The girl said dreamily, while the rest of her friends almost pulled their hair out of their heads.

Cecil was ridiculously confused. He looked over and saw the same person; the same blonde, tall, green-eyed barista. The same man that yesterday was more interested in roughing up beans in a corner than being in the vicinity of another human being. Yet today, he blared out a gigantic smile and girly pick-up lines. He had glasses now too, but that didn’t mean anything, right?

Cecil noticed the café was full of girls, and they seemed to be multiplying. Some were on the phone, screaming at other girls to come. Others were taking sly pictures of the barista with their phones. Their tables were completely full of drinks, both empty and full. It looked like they were just ordering coffee for a chance to speak to that man.  
What the Camus?! Cecil was even more confused now. He took a peak at the tip jar and today it was crammed with big amounts of money and pinky slips of papers that he could only guess were wither love letters or phone numbers… or both. He didn’t blame them, he was handsome.

Cecil waited it out. He watched the blonde barista attend to every single girl and every single confused regular that came through the door, make perfect drinks, and all with his calm, happy tone of voice and smile. He watched the girls go home one by one, the shy ones slipping away and the rowdy ones blowing kisses. Cecil watched the whole day, and only came up with two possibilities: either he had walked into a different dimension, or the barista from yesterday had a twin.

The possibility of them being very different twins was the one that didn’t seem that far-fetched, so he went with that one. After all the fangirls had gone home he went up to the counter.

“Finally! You just need a little peace and calm, right?” the barista asked as if he was just talking to a longtime friend.

“Huh?” Cecil’s eyebrows furrowed.

“I’ve been watching you, silly! It was so busy and loud before, you wouldn’t order.” He explained.

Cecil’s face turned dark red. He had been watching him all this time. Cecil felt a wave of the most horrific embarrassment crash over him and drown him. “Uh” he could only say.

“Oh, right, your order. How can I help you today, friend?” the blonde man asked with that same bright smile, one that Cecil could tell was a true one.

“Latte-” Cecil stared.

“With extra milk, right?” the barista asked, already turning around to start the order.

Cecil froze. How did he know his regular order? If he’s not the same person, he shouldn’t know Cecil’s order from yesterday. Yet, he does. Cecil wondered if that meant that they were the same person, but his feelings told him the opposite. He didn’t feel the same raw electricity he did yesterday, that attraction and interest that had drawn him back. With this twin, the ‘nice twin’ he just felt comfortable. They seemed like the same person, they knew his order, but his heart was telling him different.

Cecil noticed the barista was wearing a nametag this time. He read the little plastic tag while he made the order. Natsuki. His name was Natsuki.  
“Yesterday you weren’t wearing a nametag.” Cecil told him, looking up to the barista.

“Yesterday?” Natsuki paused and asked himself while the hot milk poured out into the cup. “How weird, I don’t remember working yesterday!” he giggled, touching his head as if to make himself recall. “But I always wear my nametag!”

“Then how did you remember I like extra milk on my latte?” Cecil blurted out. He shouldn’t ask these questions if he wasn’t sure they were twins or the same person, but still, he did. He needed to know.

Natsuki paused again, tapping his lips with a single finger. He seemed to grow serious, but then instantly cried out in his happy tone again. “I don’t know, I guess you just strike me as the kind of person that loves milk!”

Cecil was starting to feel dizzy. “Do you have a twin brother?” Cecil finally asked, needing to know.

“What made you think that?” Natsuki turned around and laughed aloud. “It would be so nice to have a twin! Oh, all the fun things we could do! But no, I don’t have one.”  
Cecil blushed again. He couldn’t believe he was asking such private questions to a barista. But, they were the same person! How could that be? Maybe Natsuki was just under the weather yesterday, and seemed a little rude. Cecil smiled at him, giggling too.

“Yeah, that was silly. It’s just you seemed a bit- uh, different, yesterday.”

“Nope! I didn’t work yesterday, like I said. Sorry, you must be confusing me.” Natsuki gave an apologetic smile.

Cecil went back to being utterly confused. “You said you didn’t remember working yesterday.”

“Exactly, yes. I don’t think I did. I wasn’t here.” Natsuki explained, also confused as to why his costumer asked so many weird questions. Still, he wanted to clear it all up!  
Cecil was shocked. The ‘nice twin’ said that he didn’t have a twin and he wasn’t here yesterday, but he knew he had seen him, or his twin, the ‘rude twin’ there. Either Natsuki wanted to joke with him, or it wasn’t true.

This was all getting extremely headache-inducing.

Natsuki gave him his latte. “On the house, to apologize for all the noise today.” He said, giving a kind smile. Cecil felt even more shaken. Those light green eyes were completely changed. They seemed kinder, calmer, like a sunny plane of grass. Cecil felt comfortable with Natsuki, even though his high-strung mood was a bit too much sometimes.

“Thank you.” Cecil just said, taking the hot cup. He savored the first sip; tasted a lot like the one from yesterday, but there was something else.

“I always put a bit of brown sugar when I do lattes like yours. Milky, but rich!” Natsuki proudly told.

“You always do that?” Cecil asked, putting his cup down slowly, thinking.

“Always!” Natsuki exclaimed.

Cecil sighed. Another thing that didn’t make sense. He hadn’t tasted any brown sugar in his latte yesterday. He drank his latte in a gulp and put the price of the coffee and change in the tip jar. He felt a knot get tighter in his stomach. Something told him, against all the facts, and these two were not the same person.

“I have to go. Thank you for the coffee, you’re very kind.” Cecil said while packing his belongings and walking out. Natsuki thanked him right back with a big, wide smile and told him to come back soon.

Cecil let the bell hit the door like yesterday, and when out, peered back into the café through the glass.

There were not the electric green eyes of yesterday, but the calm ones of Natsuki, who was waving at him animatedly. He almost ran home, a million thoughts racing along through his head.


	2. FRESH VANILLA

The day after, he appeared at the café even later. He had decided to find the absolute truth of what was happening. Of course, he said this before walking in and seeing it was the same blonde man, without glasses this time. Cecil walked in and he felt his body get tough like mud in the sun. He knew this was not Natsuki; it was someone else and he could feel it.

The café was almost empty, only one old man reading a newspaper and blabbing about politics to himself. Cecil sat down in his usual seat, not bothering to take out his laptop anymore. He went up to the counter.

There, the ‘rude twin’ stood supporting himself on the counter, looking bored out of his mind. His eyes were the same shade of grass green, but today they had changed back to making Cecil feel like rock. Cecil felt like there was invisible thunder, ready to strike over him. He felt so many things, and all of them took over him. 

The blonde didn’t even bother to take his order, not even after Cecil waited patiently and impatiently. Cecil cleared his throat.

“What?” the barista barked at Cecil.

“May I order, please?” Cecil asked, as calmly as he could.

“Fine.” The barista agreed sourly, punching in on the cash register. He almost snatched the money out of Cecil’s hands and started making his order. Cecil wondered if he had remembered the order while the blonde worked. 

Cecil watched intently as the barista pushed the grains tight and screwed the part in. He moved his golden hair our of his forehead, gathering a slight glow because of the hear of the machinery. The milk bubbled and groaned until it was let out into the cup with a single, white line. It was the same latte with extra milk he liked. He had remembered.

The cup was placed in front of Cecil and he in exchange put a couple of dollars in the tip jar. 

“Thanks” Cecil said before taking it in his hand and moving to his table. Almost moving, because before Cecil could step away, he felt a hand holding him in place. The blond was holding him back, taking Cecil’s arm. He had a severe expression in his face, but his eyes told a different story. Cecil almost saw Natsuki in them. 

“Y-yes?” Cecil asked, his heart kicking out of his chest. He could feel the rapid pulsing of the blood in his veins. The world had stopped and that strong, pale hand holding his arm burned like a wildfire; quick and brutal.

“I put vanilla in it. Fresh.” The blonde said in a monotone voice, and let go from his arm. 

Cecil looked down into his cup and saw the delicate mountain of whipped cream covering the soft tan of his drink. Within the little white swirls, he could see tiny black beads of vanilla. Cecil smiled. Natsuki had done the same thing with the brown sugar, and it was cute, but this one was different. It made Cecil feel different. He wanted to go with his feelings, and treat them differently. 

“Thank you!” Cecil cried out, smiling widely. “What’s your name?” Cecil asked, staring intently. If they happened to be the same person, it would have been very embarrassing, but Cecil was so sure of their differences he took a chance.

“What?” the barista asked, looking confused. “That’s not important.”

“You don’t wear a nametag.” Cecil said, feeling braver by the second. “Natsuki does.”

The blonde tried to not look shocked, and walked away from Cecil into the backroom without saying a word.

Cecil felt even more sure they were different people. They were probably twins, trying to share a job, and no one could know. That’s why Natsuki wore a nametag and the ‘rude twin’ didn’t. The café had only supplied Natsuki with one.

Cecil was close to discovering their secret. He shook in excitement as he sipped his latte. The ‘rude twin’ had to come out of the backroom someday, and he will be here to ask him.

It took a few minutes, but the blonde barista came out with apples and more milk. He put the apples on the counter and the milk in the smaller freezer they kept up front. He wasn’t acknowledging Cecil at all, but Cecil had other plans.

“Natsuki also puts brown sugar in all his lattes. He also treats his costumers a little differently.” Cecil said, giggling a little. 

The barista shot a dirty look at him before coming closer. 

“Either you shut up or you’re going to get him into trouble.” The barista exploded, punching the counter. “I won’t let that happen!” 

“Your secret is safe with me.” Cecil promised. “But… I want something in exchange.”

“What?” the barista asked, looking around to make sure no one heard. 

“Your name.” Cecil told, wearing a serious face. 

“Why?!” the blonde questioned, his brows furrowed.

“I just want to know who I’m talking to.” Cecil explained, almost pleading with him. 

The blonde paused, and breathed out. Cecil thought he wouldn’t be able to get it out of this twin, not today. But there was always a tomorrow, with Natsuki.  
“I’ll ask Natsuki then.”

“No!” the barista roared again. “He can’t know!”

Cecil was even more confused. Were they not both in it? Every time he thought he understood the situation, a new fact was brought in, making him rethink everything. 

“Why?” Cecil asked before the blonde took his arm and pulled him into the counter table, almost spilling his drink. Cecil yelped out of surprise.

“You’re asking too many questions.” The blonde said in a menacing tone, pulling Cecil closer to him. His breath smelled like coffee. Cecil could feel the warmth of his skin closer to him and see those green eyes that electrified him so. Cecil felt stuck to the blonde, like he couldn’t move, and like he didn’t want to. Still, he had to know the truth.

“Then save me the questioning and tell me who you are.” Cecil said calmly, but his ragged breathing was ratting him out. 

The barista let him go. He seemed frustrated, his fist balled, and his shoulders squared. “Then promise me you won’t tell Natsuki about me.”

Cecil promised, also promising himself to find out why.

“Satsuki” he said simply, and walked away. 

Cecil repeated his name aloud. Satsuki. Natsuki and Satsuki. He watched as Satsuki cut apples with killer intent, and decided to back down for a while. He went to sit down at his table, putting down his drink. His hands were shaking slightly. 

The rest of the work day Cecil sat, trying to busy himself with the background music. On Satsuki days, he had noticed, was rock. Contemporary but with a hint of classic, guitar riffs, electric instruments. Not loud, but actually, he kept the volume too low. Cecil had to perk up his ear to notice an electric violin and drums keeping beat. It sounded like anarchy, but in a whisper. Cecil giggled. Music choice says a lot about a person.

Few people showed up that day, and they all received Satsuki’s sour treatment. Most of them asked for the manager or told Satsuki that they didn’t feel welcome because of him, but he truly acted like he didn’t care. If he did, Cecil didn’t know. It was hard to read such a closed-up person, no matter how much you observed. Oh, and Cecil observed.  
“Don’t you have anything better to do?” Satsuki asked while cleaning the tables with a gray, dirty rag. The café was empty by now, and no steam came out of the machines. Closing time would be soon.

Cecil jumped out of his train of thought. “Uhm, I’m a student.”

“I wasn’t asking about your life.” Satsuki spit out. He came closer to Cecil’s table, waiting. 

Cecil looked up to find him right there, suddenly caught up with the man’s closeness and his gold ringlets. 

“Move your shit.” Satsuki said, pausing between each word as if speaking to a child.

“Oh, right!” Cecil felt so embarrassed. He lifted his empty cup and his bag, so Satsuki could clean his table too. Satsuki did so without looking at Cecil, but Cecil plainly stared at his pale arms. They also had golden hairs you couldn’t even tell they were there without the light shining at them. 

Cecil watched his knuckles, his long fingers, and the fine muscles of his arm. He felt like his mouth had gone dry. 

“I’m saying-” Satsuki started, brow ruffled. “You’re always here, getting into people’s business. Watching, too.” He said in his regular rude tone. 

Cecil knew not to feel bad at the way Satsuki said things, but he at least felt his cheeks get warmer at his very correct observations. Cecil had been watching, and very openly, too.  
“I don’t get into anyone’s business.” Cecil tried shyly. 

“My business.” Satsuki seemed like he was trying not being that scary, to hold himself back, but he still came off as so. Cecil thought he was right, but how not to? He wanted to know more about him. Not that he could explain that to him. It seemed crazy to tell him it was just interest about how they both ran the café, but it wasn’t that innocent. 

Cecil could only lower his head and mutter. “I’m sorry.” He looked up to Satsuki with big, aquamarine eyes. 

Satsuki’s mouth tightened. He had nothing to say to that apology. He probably expected Cecil to explain himself, or fight, or try to drain him of new information, but he got a shy apology. His whole being shook. He wanted to scream at him to get out but couldn’t. Those eyes were too big.

Satsuki punched the table underneath them, Cecil’s hands flying up and his bag and empty cup falling with a hit and a shatter. Cecil inhaled loudly, surprised, and scared. 

“Get out!” Satsuki screamed, pointing at the door. Cecil got up still feeling rattled and collected his bag. He tried to pick up the cup, now white porcelain pieces on the floor, but Satsuki slapped his hand off. Cecil understood and left without a word. He felt like he had a whole world inside of him that suddenly went off in fire and smoke. He could feel his heart racing, kicking and screaming, and his chest ever so thin, unable to hold it. Cecil thought it would be right to apologize, but obviously he was wrong. He didn’t know who to blame but couldn’t help but feel mad at Satsuki. That big ogre! 

Cecil opened the door with a strong pull and let the bell ring like always, only today it seemed annoying. He shouldn’t have looked back through the glass, but he did. He saw Satsuki kneeled, picking up the bigger pieces of broken cup. He sighed, and for a second, Cecil could see a glimpse of something different in those light green eyes.

Cecil walked away grasping tightly at his bag, trying to convince himself it wasn’t regret.


	3. CINNAMON HINT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I apologize for the next chapters being so late, but I'm a 4th year university student and my classes this semester were killer! Thankfully though, school is out for the summer! (Even though I will be taking a summer class ugh) Thank you to the people who have commented and kudo'ed and all; I really never thought this would be seen by anyone other than me! I will keep posting, I promise!

The next day, Cecil was there early in the morning. 

A light sprinkle of rain that had been falling since midnight yesterday was nodding him in, but he couldn’t, not yet. He waited outside trying to peek into the foggy glass for a sign that Satsuki wasn’t there, that troll. 

He expected today to be a Natsuki day, but every time he peered into the café looking for a hoard of girls or a happy, smiling ear-to-ear grin he didn’t find it. Instead, the blonde barista stared at the wall with an empty look, rolling his eyes at every costumer. 

A secretary came in asking for a big order of French-pressed this, Frappuccino-that and extra-extra-extra-double whatever only to be given nine equally boring-looking espressos. She raged at him, but he just stared at the wall and gave her money back. She threatened to write a bad review while walking out the door.

Cecil gulped. It was certain that Satsuki had hijacked Natsuki’s day. 

For the first time he wished Natsuki was there instead, so he could be treated with kindness, just for a while. Satsuki had been despicable, right? It was true Cecil was meddling, but he didn’t deserve that treatment. Or, well, he was being a meddling idiot. It was only normal for Satsuki to want to keep certain aspects of his life, and his twin brother, private. 

Cecil didn’t know what to do. Stroll in and ask for another chance to be just a regular costumer, or never come back. Still, Cecil’s curiosity won over him. He walked right into the café and promptly remembered his table didn’t exist anymore. Another table was occupying its place. It was square this time, darker brown in color, the only one different in the whole place. Cecil sat at the new table, waiting, not knowing for what. 

A costumer, an old man, got up and shakily walked him and his cane to the bathroom. Cecil watched the old man, but he couldn’t bring himself to see Satsuki. Cecil took his laptop out and decided to do some work. 

Cecil typed and immersed himself in the screen, almost completely forgetting Satsuki was supposed to scream at him to get out. He heard the whistling of the coffee makers, the cranking of one machine and the bell-like ding of spoons against porcelain. He then felt someone next to him, and the placing of a cup on his table.

Cecil looked up to find Satsuki, eyes still somewhere else but here. 

“Something a bit different.” he said plainly, nudging the cup closer to Cecil.

Cecil lifted his hands up from the keyboard slowly, as if waiting it to be a joke. He almost couldn’t say thank you, but did, and picked up the cup. The drink seemed light and white, foamy. Cecil drank it. It wasn’t his regular, but it felt delicious against his tongue. Still warm, still milky, and absolutely sinful. Cecil almost drank the whole thing right then and there. 

“Wow, this is good. What is it?” Cecil asked, licking his lips.

“Cappuccino, extra milk.” Satsuki said, his voice nervous for the first time. “And a hint of cinnamon.”

Cecil was wondered. It was like the Satsuki from before, the one that put fresh vanilla in his latte was back, and yesterday hadn’t happened. Maybe there were three brothers; triplets! Okay, not triplets, he knew this was Satsuki, the same that had broken the table with a punch. Cecil never felt scared, though. 

“Thank you, and-” Cecil paused, putting his cup down. “I’m sor-”

Satsuki cut him off with a question. “What kind of student?”

“Huh?” Cecil was confused. Could he be asking because of Cecil’s comment yesterday?

“What kind of student are you?” Satsuki repeated, scratching his neck. He suddenly seemed shy.

“Uh, I’m a veterinary student. Well, I’m mostly interested in common house cats. Caring for them, learning about them.” Cecil chuckled awkwardly. He pointed at his computer screen. “That’s what I’m writing now. It’s about how cats have remained apex predators even while living in apartment living rooms.”  
Satsuki nodded. 

“We’ve slowly lost the teeth we used for eat raw meat during caveman times, but cats have kept the same characteristics! It’s like they don’t even care about Darwin’s evolution theory!” Cecil excitedly told, baring a bright smile.

Sastuki’s expression had remained blank the whole time. He realized he had been talking to a barista about cats and felt deeply embarrassed.

“Sorry, I must be boring you. Going on and on about that.” Cecil said sheeply, shaking his head. 

Satsuki quickly turned on his heels and walked away to the counter, leaving Cecil wide-eyed and red. Cecil felt even worse. It all was going so great! Satsuki even served him a special drink and had asked him about himself! And now Cecil had ruined it. That’s what he thought, until Satsuki came back and placed a small muffin next to him in the same way he had given the cup.

Satsuki walked away without saying a word, so Cecil didn’t have the time to ask him why, but it seemed it was a gift. At last Cecil wanted it to be a gift.  
Cecil took the muffin in his finger and turned it around. He squeaked when he saw the eyes and nose of a cat drawn in blueberries. 

“Oh, my muse! It’s a cat!” he screeched loud enough for the barista to hear, lifting up the muffin in the air and pointing at it. “A cat! Satsuki! It’s a cat!” he cried excitedly.

Satsuki, from behind the counter, looked up once with a bored expression and then not again. He walked into the pantry and came out with more beans to work with.  
Cecil smiled. “Thank you!” he said, sitting down again with his muffin and still-hot cup. 

Cecil had made a mistake.  
Satsuki was kind, and sweet, just like Natsuki. Maybe even more. He was confusing, rough around the edges, he hated people, but deep inside he was as warm as a fresh espresso shot. He wasn’t good with words, but his apology came through strong and clear; he was sorry about scaring Cecil last night. 

Cecil had felt an attraction to Satsuki before even knowing his name or what he was about. Even when he thought the brothers were the same person, his heart told him otherwise. There were so many differences between them, and he liked Natsuki as a friend, but Satsuki was just special. He was different, he had something that Cecil couldn’t put a name to. He made Cecil feel like a cup of coffee or a blueberry muffin was the best gift of the world, like every day was worth getting up to just to come down to the café. He made Cecil forget about his studies, his work with cats, the rest of his day. He made Cecil smile just by giving him a cup of coffee. 

Cecil watched silently sipping and munching, thinking about Satsuki. In such a short amount of time he had won over Cecil, even while being silent, or rude. But he wasn’t, not to Cecil. 

Cecil smiled to himself, resting his face on his hand, still watching the barista work. He sighed hard, thinking about his name: Satsuki. 

In that moment, while Cecil could only see Satsuki’s back as he weighed toasted beans, Cecil understood. His lips thinned tightly. His eyes dropped to the table, analyzing the wood grain but not at all.

He liked his barista. Like, like. 

Cecil covered his face, feeling both a sense of magic and horrible dread wash over him like a big, bad wave in the middle of a hurricane. He thought of it all in less than a second. Was Satsuki even attracted to him back in that way? Probably not, Satsuki was too cool for that. He had absolutely no chance with someone that, Cecil was sure, didn’t even totally want him there. 

I mean, he had been nice in saying sorry, but did Satsuki even care? No, probably not. He probably had bigger fish to fry, probably an older, more attractive girlfriend with a shiny diamond on her finger that when he gets home gives him a feet massage and makes him smile like Cecil has never seen! And then they have sex! The images created by Cecil’s brain haunted him. He started cracking his knuckles out of sheer stress.

Cecil wanted to cry, and also laugh at himself. He hadn’t even seen Satsuki smile for real. He didn’t know where he lived, or if he was also a student. Was he married or single? Was he even interested in men? Could he ever be interested in Cecil?

Cecil felt frustrated, he felt beat. He had gone into the boxing ring too late and already bloody. The white towel had already been thrown and he didn’t know it. He shook his head slowly, peering up to watch Satsuki clean the counter with that stupid, absolutely handsome and utterly bored look.

He realized he wanted Satsuki. He wanted those eyes and those lips. He wanted to find strands of yellow hair on his pillow. He wanted the thrilling sound of coffee being made without having to pull $2.56 out of his wallet. He wanted a kiss after saying thank you. He wanted to hold his warm hand, just once, even if it was sticky with syrup and sugar. 

All this trying to find out his name and thinking about how ‘interesting’ Satsuki seemed was just a stupid crush that now seemed to take over him. All thanks to a cat muffin. It wasn’t even that cute! Stupid Satsuki and his stupid blueberry-eyed yeasty, delicious fresh baked cat. Stupid Satsuki and his hint of cinnamon. Whatever!

Cecil shot up from his seat and gathered his things. Satsuki didn’t seem to know, or care. After he put his computer in his messenger bag and straightened his button-up shirt he closed the short distance to the counter and murmured a last thank you to Satsuki’s back. 

Satsuki turned and watched him leave and ring the bell on his way out. Cecil stepped outside, wrestling with his windbreaker and bag, and only after he got it all sorted out, he looked back through the glass.

There were those light green eyes, peering at him. Cecil felt them scan every cell in his being. Cecil felt brave and waved at him, but Satsuki only dropped is look down. Cecil felt like that was a signal; Satsuki never really cared about him. If he did something nice it was to keep a costumer, and nothing else.

Cecil walked the rest of the way home feeling his chest tighten with every step. He didn’t care that the light rain wet his face and hair. 

When he got into his apartment finally, his cat welcomed him with a hungry noise. 

“I know, Kuppuru.” He said tiredly. Kuppuru meowed back, staring at his owner intently. 

“I know… muffin cats are really unnecessary. I have all the love I need here.” Cecil smiled sadly. Kuppuru swiftly ran into another room. Cecil sighed. 

His hair had gotten completely soaked, just like his faux leather boots and the bottom of his dark jeans, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.


	4. COOL MINT

Cecil woke up with a stuffy nose and sneezing away his own cat. Great, he was sick. On top of that, he felt like an idiot for having acted that way yesterday.

Satsuki was a nice guy, and the fact that nothing could ever work between them didn’t mean they couldn’t be friends. Or at least, barista and costumer. Cecil tried to smile at the thought, tried to feel hope brewing inside him like a fresh pot of coffee, but only felt shivering cold and sourness. Like if he had left black coffee out for a day and now he had to drink it. The truth was hard to swallow.

Cecil got up and after a warm shower, fluffy socks and a lot of layers, he set a plate of Miu Mix for his cat. Kuppuru approached him tentatively; Cecil was still sneezing loudly and scaring him. After a while, hunger won, and the feline finally ate, eyes peering over his own shoulder every few seconds, as to not be scared by another sneeze. Cecil suddenly felt unloved by his own pet but realized it was just his mood. He had a bad day yesterday and now his body was shutting down.

Cecil sighed, his arms droopy as his sides. His back hurt and his nose was screaming. Maybe it would be a better idea to stay home and watch a movie. But then he remembered Satsuki. He thought of all the interesting things he could ask Satsuki about his work, or his life, and in a totally friendly way, too!

Cecil nodded to himself, a small grin shaping his mouth. He made double sure he had packed his tissues; nobody wants to see him dripping all over his coffee. He rushed through the cold streets, wiggling his nose, and patting it with his tissue, which felt freezing and wet. His mind ran with thoughts and questions, fantasizing about conversations. If Satsuki asked him about his studies again, what would he say? Not something embarrassing again! He should act more mysterious, speak less and listen more, flash a quick smirk… Cecil was trying to cover all possible bases, silently grinning while he walked. His teeth felt cold. He sneezed into his tissue.

Only, he had forgotten something.

Cecil walked into the café to find a line that reached almost the door. The whole place was packed with young ladies among colorful balloons. Some sort of pastel-colored coffee fair was going on inside the little café. Everyone had plates of small pastries and little cups of coffee. The blonde barista bared the biggest smile he had ever seen on- well, anyone.

 Cecil sighed, and then sneezed. Today was a Natsuki day.

His head fell back in disappointment. And then he sneezed again, prompting two girls to rush away from him.

Cecil whispered excuse me to at least ten girls and finally got to his table, miraculously abandoned. He saw there was a note placed on it that read ‘Reserved for Dr. Cat’ and while he was confused, he was also very amused. Natsuki couldn’t have put this down, because he didn’t know Cecil was a veterinary student. It must have been Satsuki. He put his things down, smiling.

He watched the slip of paper for a while, and then pulled out his phone to take a picture. He realized he hadn’t taken a photo of his coffee orders since Satsuki crashed the café. He had been more interested in drinking something from him, and less in posting something up on the MuseGram. His friend from school, Masato, probably wondered why he had stopped posting coffee pictures, or maybe he was still too busy with that art show. Cecil reminded himself to text him later and saved the picture as his phone background.

It took a while, but Cecil finally got to Natsuki at the counter. It was decorated with yellow, baby blue, soft pink and light green flags. His regular packed tip jar was now bigger, covered in cutesy design paper and a blue bow. Natsuki’s bright smile welcomed him. Cecil dried his nose quickly with his tissue.

“Hi! Thank you for coming back! It’s been a while, huh?” Natsuki cheerily asked. “Where have you been?”

Cecil smiled back, suddenly feeling better. It was a bit confusing, though, seeing Satsuki’s face and body but knowing it wasn’t him. “Uhn, I’ve been busy.” His voice came out nasally, thanks to his unhappy nose.

“Student, right?” Natsuki pointed at him, winking.

“How did you know?” Cecil asked, raising an eyebrow very slightly.

“You just seem like the type!” Natsuki explained simply and started the order. Cecil hadn’t asked for anything, but he didn’t mind that the ‘twins’ tried new things with him. Whatever Natsuki or Satsuki made he knew was going to be delicious.

Cecil looked around again, gathering all the detail. Wide, pastel yellow paper lamps hung from the ceiling like tiny suns. All tables had a cloth of flowery print, and paper flowers of the same light yellow. The ladies all seemed dressed for the event; most of them wearing sun dresses of pastel greens, pinks and blues, some of them in matching delicate prints, and a couple wearing smart white pants or short skirts.

Cecil wondered if he had received the memo. He had been coming to this café for more than two years before this change Natsuki and Satsuki had created. Even he didn’t know when it was going to be Natsuki’s day. How did all these girls know? Cecil shook his head. He had never been able to understand how girls had such an amazing way of communicating with one another. It’s like they were all spies and had their own information lines. Cecil mentally bowed to them. And then sneezed into his tissue, cancelling his train of thought.

Natuski whistled and the machines whistled, which was funny to him. The café was brimming with life. It was such a unique experience Natsuki had suddenly created. To think yesterday it was empty, with a mean troll behind the counter. Cecil felt a tinge of sadness for Satsuki.

“This is amazing, Natsuki.” Cecil gave honestly when the barista came back with his coffee.

“Thank you!” Natsuki said, excitedly, putting the cup down. His cup was pastel pink, with white detailing around the rim. The smell was different this time, and Cecil wanted to know what caused it.

Cecil took a sip, and automatically smiled. The coffee was strong and warm, but his tongue felt the freshness of something else. He tasted hot and cold at the same time, and his body suddenly felt release.

“Mint!” Natsuki kindly said. “Just a little something for that cold.”

Cecil chuckled, embarrassed. “You’re very kind.” He then reached for a napkin from the counter and wiped his nose lightly to make sure he wasn’t dripping snot.

Natsuki threw an apologetical look towards him, slightly bending forward to be closer to Cecil. He spoke as if to a child. Not in a condescending way, but in a calm, kind way. Cecil got reminded of a kindergarten teacher. His eyes were so light and sunny that Cecil found himself a bit lost in them for a second. “I’m sorry, but I’ve never asked for your name.”

Cecil felt shaken, and it reminded him of how he felt with Satsuki. “It’s Cecil.” He said, the words coming out nasally and wobbly.

Natsuki smiled to him, and Cecil felt small yet again. “So pretty!”

Cecil’s cheeks warmed up. He was suddenly conscious of Natsuki’s green eyes, his blonde eyelashes and calm voice. He was also conscious of the growing line of women behind him, some of them already commenting on how some guy was chatting up their barista. Cecil cleared his throat and uttered thanks before picking his cup and moving through the multitude. One girl groaned in satisfaction. Another hurried her friend to join her in line now that it was moving.

Cecil sat at his table and slurped on his minty latte, watching from afar. Natsuki showed his pearly teeth, blinding a girl. The girl held her palm on her chest, her face pale as if she were about to pass out. She deposited a $20 on the already replete tip jar. Cecil giggled to himself.

This is how the café could afford the baristas giving him free coffee, or the whole day without costumers when Satsuki attended. Next to days like this, when it looked like a festival exploded in the café, Satsuki days looked like they should be sprouting spiderwebs and tumbleweeds.

He felt sadness again. Maybe he could help Satsuki. Maybe he didn’t need help, and this is the weird way this café should operate. It seemed to be doing great right now.

Cecil looked up to Natsuki again, ringing a bell on the counter repeatedly, the girls clapping.

“Super unicorn teacupccino coming right up!” Natsuki called out, the hoard of women bending over the counter to catch a look at how he made it. Their cheeks went from rosy blush to violent red, all of them intensely interested in their barista.

Cecil again thought he couldn’t blame them. He had been one of them in that line, with the same wide-eyed look and rushing heart. Natsuki was as handsome as Satsuki, of course. And while he didn’t have that bad-boy approach to things, he had a kind voice and understanding eyes that you could melt in.

It was true that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Even if Cecil liked the taste of vinegar more, there was nothing wrong with a little sweetness. Especially if it also cured colds.

Cecil left the café before everyone else, hoping Natsuki would be able to clean it all in time. He put $3 in a second tip jar and walked out feeling slightly invincible. The sound of the door bell was muffled by the constant laughing and animated conversations from inside. Cecil looked back through the windowstill as always, and found the warm, caring light eyes looking straight at him. Cecil smiled and gave a tiny wave.

He wasn’t feeling as ill as before and rushed to his apartment to not get caught in the cold. Through the walk and even when he got home he was still thinking about how nice Natsuki was, and how marked were the differences between the ‘twins’.

He still didn’t know what was going on between them, not entirely, but he didn’t need to know as strongly as before. He felt okay going to the café one day at a time, finding out new things about them slowly, drop by drop, like drip coffee.  

Kuppuru meowed, sitting right in front of him. “Hi, sweetheart. I missed you.” Cecil chanted, picking up his cat. He sneezed. Kuppuru flipped out, crying to be released.

“Fine, you little germaphobe.” Cecil grunted, letting him go. “Why can’t you be more like Natsuki, huh? Be nicer to me, I feed you.”

Cecil was a little surprised at himself. He had been thinking about Natsuki for a while. About his sweet demeanor, his golden fluffy curls and…

Could he? No. This _wasn’t_ another crush. He was already crushing on Satsuki! He couldn’t crush on twins! Could he?

His thoughts went in circles. Cecil sighed, scared of himself and his own brain. He opened his laptop and tried to write a paper due, but the effect of the mint was fading, and his thoughts were somewhere else, in that corner of the café.


End file.
